Beautiful Stranger
by Kaitie-Bear
Summary: A short, sappy M/A fic revolving around the Madonna song Beautiful Stranger *COMPLETED*
1. Realisation

Title: Beautiful Stranger  
Rating: PG, may contain a few swear words

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Dark Angel, Cameron & Eglee, etc. I own nothing and I'm gaining only valuable writing experience.   
Summary: A short, sappy M/A fic revolving around the Madonna song Beautiful Stranger

Author's Note: This is my first attempt at fan fiction, although I do have several other stories in the pipeline atm. Reviews would be welcomed but please be gentle. 

Max's POV:

It's a thumping night at Crash and Max is alone at the bar sipping a beer. Original Cindy has hooked up with some honey in the corner and Sketchy is being beaten at pool yet again, and this time his opponent isn't even a transgenic. Max swivels on her barstool to face the crowd. She watches her friends laughing, happy, normal and it pains her. It seems that she just isn't destined to have a normal life. Max sighs and swivels back to the bar to continue her beer. As she sits and evaluates her life and misery a slower song in the tradition of Crash comes on and the words find there way to Max over all the noise of the bar, as if there floating, trying to tell Max something. Never one to steer clear of cryptic messages Max listens intently to the words and finds a story being played out in her mind.

_Haven't we met?_

_You're some kind of beautiful stranger_

_You could be good for me_

_I had a taste for danger_

Holy shit, it couldn't be? Ben?

Flashback:  _You look like someone I used to know_. End flashback

This was Ben's face and Ben's body and Max had seen it all before, well not literally all of it, but this was a stranger and he made it all look so different, he made it look alluring, he made it look beautiful. He was so familiar in looks and yet somehow he wasn't. There was a definite difference in the way he held himself, the way he spoke and in those eyes. She knew nothing about him but felt like she should considering he was Ben's twin. To her he was a beautiful stranger and he could be exactly what Max needed. A breathe of fresh air, the rain cloud in a drought, a life raft when you're drowning, someone to challenge her, push her, love her. Whoa, where did that come from? Alarm bells are ringing when I even consider getting close to the clone of Ben. Ben was dangerous which means there's a chance that this strange could be dangerous as well but then again my whole life is filled with danger, what's one more addition to the juggling act? 

_If I'm smart then I'll run away_

_But I'm not so I guess I'll stay_

_Heaven forbid_

_I'll take my chance on a beautiful stranger_

I've been running my whole life and yet it doesn't seem like the smart thing to do. It's not what I want, I want to stand and fight, get this over with so I can try and live a normal life for a change, so my friends and family can live a normal life, so we don't have to live in fear anymore. My head is telling me that I should be running from you as well but my heart is overruling and I guess I'm staying, I know I'm staying, I need to stay. I have to stop running from my past and from who I am. Perhaps you are part of me? I don't have much luck with loved ones, so I rarely let people I meet get that close but I'll take my chance on a beautiful stranger. It just feels right. 

_I looked into your eyes_

_And my world came tumbling down_

_You're the devil in disguise_

_That's why I'm singing this song_

Those deep irresistible hazel eyes, just one look and I was lost forever. My whole world came crashing down around me. There was no returning from there to Logan or any other human or male of any kind once I'd looked into your eyes. I'd lost myself to you with one simple look and there's nothing I can do to change that and it scares me to death. No matter how hard I try and fight it. What's done is done and I need to accept it. Only trouble is now, so do you. 

_To know you is to love you_

_You're everywhere I go and everybody knows_

_To love you is to be part of you_

_I've paid for you with tears_

_And swallowed all my pride_

I know nothing about you, you're absolutely nothing like Ben. And yet the more I get to know you the more I grow to love you, without even realizing it. You're everywhere I go, whether that be in body or just in my heart with me. I think about you constantly, even subconsciously, I just can't seem to help it. You are a part of me and always will be. Original Cindy seems to have this sussed out long before I was clued into it. Does everybody know? Am I really the oblivious? My guess is that Original Cindy is just too dam intuitive. 

I am in love with you and you are a part of me and I like to think that I'm a part of you. That I'm having the same effect, or even just a lil bit of an effect on you like you are on me. You really have no idea how much you effect me. I've had countless number of battles between my head and my heart trying to determine what I should do over you. I'm not one for crying and yet I find myself crying over you. I guess I'll just have to lose the tough girl image and admit how I feel about you. One-day…maybe. 

_Da-da-da-dum da-dum da-dum da da da-da dum_

_Beautiful stranger_

_Da-da-da-dum da-dum da-dum da da da-da dum_

_Beautiful stranger_

_If I'm smart then I'll run away_

_But I'm not so I guess I'll stay_

_Haven't you heard? _

_I fell in love with a beautiful strange_

I know I shouldn't be telling you that I love you because it's emotional suicide but I just can't help the way I feel and I can't keep it bottled up inside anymore. You have a right to know…right? I should run from this, I should run screaming and never look back, that would be the smart thing to do. You shouldn't be dragged into my melodramatic live any further. I've done enough to you and yet I can't run. I have to stay I can't bear the thought of not having you in my life and what's even scarier is the fact that I can't bear the thought of you not loving me in return. But I need to tell you and I can't bear that either.  I fell in love with you and there's no going back. 

_I looked into your face_

_My heart was dancing all over the place_

_I'd like to change my point of view_

_If I could just forget about you_

I fell in love with you before I even knew you and once I knew you, even just a little, I fell even further. I'm at the point of no return. That can't be good. Just looking at you, into your face, into those eyes, I fall even more, if that's even possible anymore. Every time I see you my heart goes into overload, it's as if it dances all over the place. I would dearly like to not feel this way because it's wrong and yet every fibre of my being is telling me that it isn't wrong, that this is where I need to be, here, with you, forever. But what if you don't share my view? Would we remain friends? I don't know if I could, knowing how strong and deep my feelings really are for you. But then again I couldn't just cut you out of my life altogether. It would be torture just to forget about that and pretend like there's nothing and I know I just couldn't do that. I'm not that strong. 

_To know you is to love you_

_You're everywhere I go and everybody knows_

_I looked into your eyes_

_And my world came tumbling down_

_You're the devil in disguise_

_That's why I'm singing this song to you_

Just when I feel strong, like I could get over you, I look into your eyes and lose myself all over again. My world stops and all I can see is you, all I can feel is my love for you and all I can hear is my heartbeat pounding in my chest. I swear one day my heart's going to explode and I'll die. Maybe you're the devil and that's your plan? It seems feasible, why else would you torture me so?

_To know you is to love you_

_You're everywhere I go and everybody knows_

_I've paid for you with tears_

_And swallowed all my pride_

I just can't take this anymore. I know you, I love you, you're everywhere and it appears that everyone bar you knows how I feel. How is that possible? I've done enough soul searching, enough crying and I've been through enough pain. I'm just going to suck it up, be a man… in a sense and go and tell you how I feel. At least then I will have closure one way or another. Either we move on together or I move period. I can't be around you and not be with you anymore because it's slowly killing me. It's time to swallow my pride and my tough girl persona and go and bare my soul to you. 

Max, who had been in a dreamland since the song began, jumped up from her barstool, grabbed her jacket and races out the door of Crash. She had to find him. The man she's really in love with and has been since she first met him, Alec. Max finds herself running into the night in desperate search of Alec. Now all she has to do is find him.

TBC


	2. Torment

Title: Beautiful Stranger  
Rating: PG, may contain a few swear words

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Dark Angel, Cameron & Eglee, etc. I own nothing and I'm gaining only valuable writing experience.   
Summary: A short, sappy M/A fic revolving around the Madonna song Beautiful Stranger

Author's Note: This is my first attempt at fan fiction, although I do have several other stories in the pipeline atm. Reviews would be welcomed but please be gentle.

Beautiful Stranger – Part 2:

Alec's POV:

Another night of Crash just wasn't on the cards for Alec. He knew he couldn't handle that tonight. Being hit on by girls that he couldn't care less about. Sure he partook in the offer once in awhile after all he was only human. Alec let out a laugh as he wandered aimlessly through the streets. Only human, what a joke, he was far from being considered only human. Seemingly out of nowhere a song came drifting into Alec's world, breaking him out of his reverie but instantly throwing him deep into another. 

_Haven't we met?_

_You're some kind of beautiful stranger_

_You could be good for me_

_I had a taste for danger_

Haven't we met? Impossible that right angels don't live on earth. You sure are beautiful and yet you sure are strange. I'm willing to work with that though, you could be good for me now that I'm in the outside world for good. You can be my guide through this city, you look like you know how to have fun and I certainly do have a taste for danger.  We could be good together, really complement each other perfectly. Now all I have to do is get close to you and make you feel the same way, yeah right!

_If I'm smart then I'll run away_

_But I'm not so I guess I'll stay_

_Heaven forbid_

_I'll take my chance on a beautiful stranger_

I may have a taste for danger but even I know my limits and you certainly seem to be the magnet for all the danger in Seattle. That should be a sure sign to run, I really don't need to be attracting unwanted attention to myself. I should leave, get far away from here and from you and yet something is holding me back. For some reason, I need to stay here with you. I'm drawn to you by a power that I can't control. Guess I'll just have to take my chances with you. 

_I looked into your eyes_

_And my world came tumbling down_

_You're the devil in disguise_

_That's why I'm singing this song_

I can't believe I'm being this stupid. You yell at me constantly, blame me for everything and treat me like complete shit but I still can't leave. I psyche myself up so that I'm ready to leave then I go to tell you and take one look in your eyes and my will completely dissolves. You change my entire world in less then a second. I see the fire and passion in your eyes and I have to stay, even though it's silently killing me. This is torture, perhaps you're the devil and this is hell and I'm paying for all the bad stuff I've done. But damm, the devil has never looked so good. 

_To know you is to love you_

_You're everywhere I go and everybody knows_

I have you sussed, Maxie, I know you, even though you try to shut me and everyone else out. I know your secrets but you don't know mine. I'm in love with you, simple as that. You've become a huge influence in my life, a huge part of me. Everywhere I go, no matter where that is, you always seem to be there. At first it was a coincidence but now, I think its just intuition on my part. I can feel you, sense you and I need to be close to you and then boom, there you are. I have a feeling that other people are starting to notice that we're always together. It doesn't bother me but I'm sure it bothers you. 

_To love you is to be part of you_

_I've paid for you with tears_

_And swallowed all my pride_

I'm in love with Max. She mended my broken heart and then stole it, which I thought could never be possible. She may not know it but I'm forever in her debt and I'll always be a part of her whether she realises it or not. I've cried for Rachel, understandably because I was the cause of her death, but now I find myself crying for Max and I'm not entirely sure why. Is it because I know that I'll never have her the way I want her? Is it because I know she'll never love me like I love her? Maybe I should swallow all my pride and cocky attitude and let her see the real me and tell her that I'm in love with her? That would never work out well. 

_Da-da-da-dum da-dum da-dum da da da-da dum_

_Beautiful stranger_

_Da-da-da-dum da-dum da-dum da da da-da dum_

_Beautiful stranger_

_If I'm smart then I'll run away_

_But I'm not so I guess I'll stay_

_Haven't you heard?_

_I fell in love with a beautiful stranger_

I want to leave, before I hurt Max and before I hurt myself even more. She's got enough hassles in her life without me adding to them. Trying to be friends with someone after they've told you there deeply in love with you is never easy. I should leave, but I can't, Max is my air, without her I can't breathe, I can't live, I can't survive. I need her so bad and it scares the shit outta me. Trust me to fall in love with a breathtakingly beautiful, completely strange woman who I can never have. 

_I looked into your face_

_My heart was dancing all over the place_

_I'd like to change my point of view_

_If I could just forget about you_

My world instantly brightens when you're around and oh that smile. I look at your beautiful face and your beautiful smile and I lose it all over again. My heart goes into double time and it feels as if it's going to burst right through my chest and start dancing all over the table. I know this can't be good for me, I'm slowing killing myself, If I could just forget about you and the feeling I have then I might be ok. But I know that's a lie, without you I would die, I know that for sure. Trying to forget you, or cut you out of my life would be a deadly move on my behalf. 

_To know you is to love you_

_You're everywhere I go and everybody knows_

_I looked into your eyes_

_And my world came tumbling down_

_You're the devil in disguise_

_That's why I'm singing this song to you_

I feel as if I really know you Max, I've been around you so much just watching that I know your faces, I know your noises, I know the meanings to the different looks in your eyes. Hell I probably know you better than you know yourself. I have fallen hard for you and there's no going back, ever. I'm pretty sure that everyone has figured out that I'm in love with you, everyone except you that is. I look in your eyes and I'm floored, there's so much passion and life and spark behind them that I know is just dying to come. I want to be the one to unleash all the power, love and passion that reside inside of you. 

_To know you is to love you_

_You're everywhere I go and everybody knows_

_I've paid for you with tears_

_And swallowed all my pride_

I love Max and I will never be able to leave her. I know it, hell everyone knows it, and even slow-on-the-up-take Logan has a clue. But now I feel it's time that you know. I've done enough crying, it's time to tell the woman I love exactly how I feel about her and after this there's no going back. Come on man, you're a solider you can do this. 

Alec lets out a shaky sigh as he again breaks out of his reverie and realises what he must do. Tell Max I love her? Hell I must be mad. Maybe I could use that and plead insanity when she punches me, as she no doubt will. For the first time in a long time Alec looks around to figure out where he is. He quickly gets his bearings and breaks off into a sprint into the direction he feels Max will be. 


	3. To know you is to love you

**Title:** Beautiful Stranger

  
**Rating:** PG, may contain a few swear words

**Disclaimer:** I am in no way affiliated with Dark Angel, Cameron & Eglee, etc. I own nothing and I'm gaining only valuable writing experience. 

  
**Summary:** A short, sappy M/A fic revolving around the Madonna song Beautiful Stranger

**Author's Note:** Originally I hadn't planned to continue this story and further than the two chapters already written but I've been inspired by some kind reviews. So cheers Mooch, Ting, Candyabble, Lyndsay and Kim for the reviews and encouragement, they brighten my day considerably and make me feel as if I have some idea as to what I'm doing! 

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Alec was running hard causing him to puff and for a genetically engineered solider that was quite an achievement. But he had barely even noticed, right now he only had one thought constantly racing through his mind and that was to find Max. Alec had finally accepted what he had known all along and made the decision to tell Max he was in love with her and he couldn't wait. He was excited, nervous and apprehensive all at the same time but overall he was happy, in fact Alec was beaming. 'Now if I can just figure out where she is' he thought to himself. Then it hit him like a tidal wave, crash! Happy in his decision Alec increased his speed in order to get to his desired destination and confess his love to Max more quickly. 

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As Max ran she tried to think of possible places that Alec could be. He wasn't at crash when she'd left which meant he was either staying away completely or would be there later. At least she had a place to fall back on if she couldn't find him. After careful deliberation and several blocks of running, Max found herself standing outside Alec's apartment. 'Well here goes nothing' she thought as she knocked twice on the door and waited for a response. Receiving no answer after only a few seconds Max was growing impatient. She knocked again, this time louder hoping that Alec simply hadn't heard her the first time. Her mind was screaming that this was a ridiculous possibility since Alec had hypersensitive hearing and could hear a pin drop from a mile away. Max was growing anxious. 'Why wasn't he opening the door?' she questioned. Maybe he was asleep, or maybe he was with someone else. Max grew panicky as that thought, and the implications it represented, dawned on her. She pressed her ear up to the door, trying to hear even the slightest hint of a noise, even if that noise was a moan. When none came, after several minutes, Max let out a shaky sigh of relief and concluded that not only was Alec not with someone else but he wasn't in his apartment at all. She turned quickly and fled, once again not knowing her destination. 

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Alec slowed his pace to a gentle jog as Crash came into view. He waited for a few moments outside to regain his breath and composure before entering. Once going inside, Alec was immediately surround by smoke, noise and people. Not a good combination when you were trying to single someone out. Alec stood and surveyed the crowd for a few moments before spotting O.C and Sketchy in their preferred seating near the pool tables in the back area of the room. Quickly making his way over, Alec couldn't help the knot in his stomach that tightened at the realization that Max was not with them like usual. He tried to remain calm. 

"Hey boo, how is ya suga?" O.C queried in a slightly slurred fashion as Alec approached her. 

Despite that fact that Alec was dealing with his friends he reverted to his training and kept his conversation short and to the point. 

"Fine O.C, have you seen Max?"

After staring at Alec like she'd never seen him before in her life, despite greeting him only a moment ago, O.C began to ponder his question. It was at this lull in the conversation that Sketchy decided to join in. 

"Yo Alec my man, how's it hanging?" he asked, whilst swaying gently where he stood, desperately trying to look like he wasn't going to be sick at any moment. 'Two heads are better than one' Alec thought to himself as he repeated his question to Sketchy,

"Have you seen Max?"

"Max?" Sketchy echoed looking confused, "Is she blonde?"

Alec sighed. He was quickly getting frustrated with his so-called friends. Were they always this difficult or was it simply because they were plastered?

Alec was jolted out of his thoughts by O.C calling his name.

"Alec," she slurred, "What was the question again?"

Alec clenched his fists at his sides and could feel his temperature starting to rise. 

"Have. You. Seen. Max?" he asked slowly, as O.C nodded her head with each word spoken as if that helped her to take them in better. 

"Max?" she asked

Alec raised his eyes to the heavens and mumbled "Oh for the love of…" but he was interrupted once again by O.C

"I think she went home"

'Bingo' Alec thought as he turned and fled his two drunken friends and the confines of the bar. Once outside again, Alec took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair. The cool night air calmed his nerves somewhat and he once again took off, this time to Max's apartment. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alec's apartment was only slightly further away from Crash then her own and Max took only a few minutes to reach the bar.  Wasting no time, she quickly headed straight in and made her way to the back of the room where she had left O.C and Sketchy only an hour before. Her gamble paid off as she found her two friends playing pool, or trying to at least. Max pulled O.C over to one side and asked,

"Have you seen Alec?"

"Hey boo" O.C replied, as if not hearing Max's question at all

"Hi" Max returned curtly with an expectant look on her face

O.C's facial expression changed to one of confusion 

"Something the matter Max?" she asked sweetly

Max started to repeat her question but was interrupted by Sketchy

"Hey Max, You're not blonde!" he stated rather proudly 

Max simply gave him a confused look. She then took both her friends by a shoulder and shook them gently in order to gain their full attention. 

"Have you seen Alec?" she asked them both

"He went…" Sketchy trailed off and glanced over to O.C, willing her to provide the rest of the answer

"Home?" O.C added with a shrug. 

Max sighed and realized that her friends her going to be of little help to her in their current condition. She also knew that Alec wasn't at home as she had been there only moments ago. 'So where now?' she asked herself. Max needed to think and there was only one place where she did her best thinking. She hastily made her way out of the bar and headed in the direction of her new destination. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alec let out a few shaky breaths before knocking on Max's door. Bouncing quickly from one foot to another Alec was getting impatient.

"Come on Max, I know you're in there" he yelled, pounding on the door once more. Alec was extremely surprised when the door wasn't yanked open and a scowling Max didn't yell at him. "Max?" he yelled again and strained to hear some sort of movement from within the apartment. It was unlikely that she was asleep, Alec thought to himself. Perhaps she wasn't home, after all his sources weren't the most credible. 'Where could she be?" he pondered. Max was quite a predictable creature, at least to Alec she was, and there were usually only a few places that she would be. Jam Pony, crash, her apartment, Joshua's, Logan's and the space needle and Alec had already effectively ruled out 4 of them. Max very rarely set foot into Logan's apartment since they ended their non-existent relationship several months ago and Joshua was still keeping to himself after losing Annie. 'Who in their right mind would want to be at work at this time or any other time for that matter' Alec asked himself as he ruled out yet another option. That left only one choice and Alec quickly made his way out of Max's apartment block and towards the final choice, the space needle. 

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Max made her way through the shrubs that hid the entrance to the space needle and climb effortlessly to the top. She sat on the cool metal surface and stared out at the city sights below. The lights were sprinkled randomly throughout the city and it looked like a blanket of stars covered the ground. Glancing up at the sky, Max noted that it was quite a clear night and that a lot of stars were shining brightly for a change. Welcoming the opportunity to relax a bit, Max lay back and let the cool surface of the needle surround and infiltrate both her body and her senses. She immediately felt relaxed and was content just to look up at the stars. Thoughts of her crazy, run around evening filtered through her mind and were accompanied by just the slightest hint of doubt. Did the song she heard at crash really hold an underlying message about her relationship with Alec? Or was she simply tired and over reacting? If she was really meant to bare her soul to Alec this evening, why was it so hard for her to find him? Surely that was a sign? Suddenly feeling incredibly tired and overwhelmed, Max closed her eyes, let her body relax even more and let the cool night air wash over and soothe her.

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Alec made his way through the bushes in much the same way that Max had several minutes ago. 'There's no bike' he observed which meant Max wasn't here. 'Not necessarily' his mind countered itself, it was, after all a nice night, so perhaps Max had opted to walk. After all, cats like to prowl. Alec made his way to the top of the needle but stopped dead in his tracks when he caught sight of Max lying on the ground, eyes closed, obviously enjoying the surroundings. He suddenly felt scared. Should he really tell her how he felt? Was that really a good idea and, if so, was now really the right time? She looked so peaceful and Alec was apprehensive about disturbing her. 

"Max" he breathed in a soft whisper, not realizing that he had actually spoken her name out loud.

'Funny' Max thought, she could've sworn she'd just heard her name. 'Must just be the wind' she rationalized but quickly realized that there was no wind tonight. Max raised herself gently off the ground and saw Alec standing in the doorway to the needle staring at her. 

"Alec" she whispered in return, unsure of whether she was dreaming or not. Alec noiselessly made his way over to Max and sat down beside her. He never took his eyes off her and she was returning his gaze intently. 

"Alec," she whispered again, "you're really here," she added, blinking for good measure to back up her words. Alec was surprised when Max took one of his hands in hers and used her other hand to gently stroke his cheek. His body reacted instantly and moved into her touch, causing the smile that was toying with the corners of Max's mouth to break through and appear fully. Alec couldn't help but smile himself as Max's hand lingered for a few more seconds before coming to rest onto of their other intertwined hands. Alec slowly looked down at their hands then back up at Max who had her head tilted to the side and was still smiling at him. 

From the moment Alec had sat down beside her, Max had felt calmed. All the thoughts of doubts and what-if's that were racing through her mind had vanished the moment she looked into Alec's eyes. Max was feeling relaxed, calm, happy and, most importantly, ready to bare her soul to the man she loved. The two had spent several minutes simply sitting together, holding hands and gazing at one another.  It appeared as if there was an unspoken understanding between the two, that to speak would break the magic of the moment they were sharing and neither one of them wanted to do that. Alec couldn't help but notice the extra twinkle in Max's chocolate brown depths as she stared into his. He tilted his head to the side, as if to question her. Max let out a laugh that was soft and full of happiness. 

"I have to tell you something" Max whispered to Alec

"Really?" he replied with great interest, "Because I have to tell you something too"

This, in turn, sparked Max's interest, prompting her to say, "Ok, you first" 

"Nuh uh Maxie, you go first" 

Max laughed, as did Alec. As with all of their previous arguments as proof, both of them knew that neither was going to be the first to back down so they settled on a compromise. 

"Ok, Max, you pick a number between 1 and 10 and if… no sorry when I pick that number you have to go first" he said with a cocky grin on his face obviously full of confidence in his ability. Max let out a laugh and broke the contact between their hands for the first time as she punched Alec lightly in the shoulder.

"Ok," Max said as her eyes darted from side to side, trying not to give herself away, "what's my number?"

"5" Alec said with a triumphant grin on his face as Max's face said it all. Her mouth had dropped open, her eyes had grown wide and she was in complete and utter shock.

"How did you know?" she asked softly, still reeling from the shock of Alec actually picking her number. 

"I know you" Alec replied simply with a shrug

A line of the song that had affected Max the most earlier in the night at crash, immediately came into her mind. _To know you is to love you _and before Max knew what she was doing she blurted out 

"I love you"

Now it was Alec's turn to be in shock. 'He's not saying anything, that can't be good' Max thought as she watched Alec intently to gage his reaction. 'She's not saying anything else' Alec thought, 'maybe that means that she really does mean it?' 

The intensity and surprise of having all his dreams come true at once had taken Alec a little longer to grasp than he realised. Max had taken his silence and look of total shock as a sure sign that Alec didn't feel the same way as her and not only had she'd made a complete fool of herself but she'd also ruined there friendship as well. 'That's just great' Max thought bitterly as she tore her hands away from Alec's, jumped up and fled. Alec had finally come to out of his sense of shock to see Max leaving as fast as she could, causing him to jump up and yell "MAX…WAIT" while quickly running after her. 

TBC

A/N: I don't know if any of you have been in the situation where you've had to try and get information out of a drunken friend, but believe me, it's not easy. They'll tell you everything, and I mean absolutely everything! Except what you want to know. LOL frustrating is an understatement. 


	4. spotlight

**Title:** Beautiful Stranger

  
**Rating:** PG, may contain a few swear words

**Disclaimer:** I am in no way affiliated with Dark Angel, Cameron & Eglee, etc. I own nothing and I'm gaining only valuable writing experience. 

  
**Summary:** A short, sappy M/A fic revolving around the Madonna song Beautiful Stranger

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the delay of this last chapter. Life has been rather hectic for me lately and got in the way. 

**Reviews:** Thanks to all those who reviewed this story. I appreciate the support and feedback. 

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 Recap:

'That's just great' Max thought bitterly as she tore her hands away from Alec's, jumped up and fled. Alec had finally come to out of his sense of shock to see Max leaving as fast as she could, causing him to jump up and yell "MAX…WAIT" while quickly running after her. 

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Max descended the Space Needle as quickly as she could. She tired to push her way through the shrubs that blocked the path to the needle but the tears that had welled up in her eyes and were threatening to spill over at any moment were blurring her vision quite considerably. At this moment, Max didn't care about manticore or being a genetically engineered solider and she certainly didn't care about her tough girl image. Right now all Max wanted was to be loved and she truly thought that she had found that with Alec but it appeared to be a one sided deal.  Max stumbled over a tree root that she could've sworn was never there before and a low branch caught her face, scratching her cheek. She touched her fore finger and index finder to her cheek and was surprised to find a thick coat of rich red blood covering them. Her cheek was bleeding and that was the final straw for Max. She stank down into a heap, right there, amongst the shrubs and trees and let the tears that had only been threatening so far escape and cascade down her cheeks. 

When Alec finally caught up to Max he was surprised and disheartened at the state he found her in. Max wasn't supposed to cry, Max wasn't supposed to bleed either! 

"Max you're bleeding" Alec said stating the obvious, which elicited only more sobs from Max. He quickly tore the sleave off his shirt and pressed it gently to Max's cheek to stem the flow of blood. Max had quietened down and was watching Alec as he tended to her wound. 'If it can even be called a wound' Max thought to herself, 'let's face it, it's only a little scratch and you're crying like a baby' Max scolded herself. Alec's brow was etched with worry. As soon as the bleeding had stopped, he took the blood soaked material away and gently wiped away the few remaining tears from Max's cheeks with his thumbs. He then placed a tender kiss on the scratch, which had already started to heal. 

Max was surprised by this action but put it down to Alec simply trying to be a good friend to her, like he always had. 'But not anymore' Max thought bitterly as she felt tears starting to form once more at the realisation that she'd lost Alec as a friend. Upon seeing the tears spring back to Max's eyes, he took her in his arms and hugged her. Alec couldn't bear to see Max hurt or cry and it was destroying him that she was doing both right in front of him, especially after what she had just declared to him. The touch of Alec instantly calmed Max and her breathing started to even out. Just being here in his arms felt so right but Max knew that it wasn't to be. She pulled away from his embrace and looked him in the face. Alec couldn't help thinking that despite having a scratch on her cheek, tears streaks covering her face and puffy red eyes, she had never been more beautiful to him. 'That song was right' Alec thought to himself, 'Max is beautiful and strange'. Alec was broken out of his thoughts by Max. 

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, have I ruined our friendship? She asked softly, afraid of the answer but needing to hear it to know for sure. 

"Of course you've ruined our friendship Max" Alec replied and upon seeing the look of utter despair clinging to Max's every feature he quickly added, "how can we ever go back to just being friends when you're in love with me?" Max had to admit that he made a valid point but she was beyond reasonable thinking, all she wanted to do know was cry... again. In fact the tears started to spill once more as Max dropped her head and let them fall. But Alec had already planned his next move. 

"How can we ever go back to just being friends when you're in love with me?" he repeated and then added, "and I'm in love with you?"

Max's head whipped up and she was greeted by the biggest grin she had ever seen anyone ever wear. She wanted to say something to Alec but she was literally speechless so instead she launched herself at him and hugged him for all she was worth. 

"Are you serious?" she finally asked, worried that he was just trying to make her feel better or that he'd change his mind. 

"Max, you think I'd kid about something like this? You'd kick my arse!" Alec replied, "Besides, what's not to love?"

Alec pulled Max onto her feet and, taking his hand in his, he led them onto the street to start the walk home. They walked in silence for several blocks, content to just hold hands and smile idiotically and each other. Alec finally broke the silence, 

"So when did you switch from hating me to loving me?" he asked casually, playfully nudging Max in the shoulder. Max's brow furrowed and she thought back to the countless number of times she had belittled Alec and scolded him and yet he still stuck around and was in love with her. She was truly amazed. 

"I was at crash earlier and I heard this song that got me to thinking"

"Funny," Alec said interrupting, "that's what happened to me tonight, except I heard the song while I was out walking. I'm not even sure where it came from," he added as an after thought. 

"I was surprised I could hear the lyrics so clearly over all the other noise in crash" Max stated plainly

The thought hit them both simultaneously. The song was played for them, about them, to them. No one else could hear it because it was meant only for them to hear. It was an indicator, their indicator, their sign to realise what they really wanted and to take the leap of faith in order to get it. The song gave them the push they both needed to open up to one another and finally reveal how they felt. And it had worked.  Max and Alec were both truly happy for the first time in a long time and it was because of the love they shared for each other, the love they had finally accepted and revealed. Max and Alec had stopped walking when the realisation about the song had hit them and they were now standing under the only working street light in a dark street. The light bulb was well and truly above their heads and an idea sprang into both their minds. They were in tune with one another.

Alec placed both his hands on Max's hips and Max, in turn, wrapped her arms around Alec's neck. They stared deeply into one another eyes before Alec whispered, "I love you Max" and lowered his head down to meet Max's lips. Just before their lips connected Max whispered back "I love you too, Alec". Max arched her back up into the kiss as it deepened and Alec quickly wrapped his arms around her entire slender form. They broke apart and once again stared at each other for a few seconds before huge smiles broke out on both their faces. Alec slung his arm around Max's shoulder as they continued to walk and said, 

"I guess we've got our song as a couple pretty much sorted out?"

Max laughed, "that we do" she replied, slipping her free arm around Alec's waist. They walked out of the spotlight the streetlight had provided and continued off into the darkness and into the new life they were to share together. 

The End.


End file.
